ISTANBUL (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden, who begins a two-night visit to Turkey on Friday, is the latest in a stream of U.S. officials who have traveled to Turkey to urge Ankara to step up its role in fighting Islamic State militants in neighboring Syria.

The National – David Lepeska – Nov 19, 4:01 PM – On a brilliantly sunny afternoon in September, dozens of pre-teens kicked footballs and chased each other across a concrete playground in front of the 60th Year School in Sancaktepe, a working- class district on Istanbul’s Asian side. Among a group…